Country of Origin: Columbia
Primary Audio Language: Spanish
Director: Alejandro Landes
Film Length: 1h 43m
Synopsis: A young group of soldiers and rebels keep watch over an American hostage, Doctora. After an ambush drives the squadron into the jungle, both the mission and the intricate bonds between the group being to disintegrate.
Star Rating: ★★★★★
Review: Monos won the 2019 Sundance Film Festival's World Cinema Dramatic Special Jury Award, and for good reason. This film explores the grim aspects of human nature and the darker instinct inside of it through the chaos and absurdity of the soul-shattering-futility of war. It is sure to leave a lasting impact on any viewer.
Somewhat reminiscent of Lord of the Flies, yet still a completely unique film on its own. The story follows a group of child soldiers and the eventual breakdown of their group in the absence of their commander or other higher authority. They lose discipline and soon any semblance of order follows as they turn to violent conflict with one another, presenting an ugly reality in terms so profoundly paradoxical it becomes surreal.
The actual setting of the movie, the reasons for the war the children are involved in, or even which countries are at conflict, are never explicitly stated, giving it a feeling of taking place beyond any one time or place, perhaps not even existing in reality itself. The cinematography is beautiful and otherworldly, and the soundtrack adds additional mysticism, together creating an indescribable hallucinatory dream-like quality, delicately balanced with the devastating realities of war.
According to many reviews [spoilers in link], this movie is inspired by the real-world conflict Colombia has been ravaged by for the last 60+ years, where youth recruiting has consistently happened, and many people have claimed understanding the Colombian context is necessary to appreciate the movie, but I don’t believe that is the case. Of course, this movie inarguably offers invaluable insight into the plight and pain many Colombians have suffered during that conflict, but this movie can definitely be appreciated without knowing about any of that.
By choosing to tell this story without solidifying the setting in any specific country or conflict, Director Landes creates a larger allegory about universality of war. Without countries, labels, or a stated reason for the war, it’s impossible to put the children on a specific side: good or bad- which allowed me to pose an important question at the end of the movie… with a few exceptions withstanding, is there usually actually a “good” side to war?
I’m a US Army Veteran and throughout the duration of my service, I found myself asking this same question over and over without ever finding an answer. This movie did not help me find that answer, but the few glimpses of the soldiers’ youthfulness and remaining innocents are an important reminder that humanity remains buried in them, despite the atrocities they commit, as it does in all wars and everyone involved in them.
Monos is tight, concise, well-integrated and paced just right. There are some plot holes that can leave a viewer wanting a little more, but passionate acting, gorgeous scenery, score, and overarching message (if you know how to look for it) more than make up for that.
Available On: Hulu
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